My Journey - Donna Karan

I took Donna Karan's biography, My Journey, out from the library recently. I saw it sitting on the featured books shelf near the entrance while I was there a few weeks ago. Biographies of successful people fascinate me. I always wonder what sort of adversities they've had to overcome to make it to where they are.

In the past, I've had the opportunity to read the biographies of Second Cup co-founder, Frank O'Dea's and Magna International founder, Frank Stronach.

Both of them came from humble beginnings. O'Dea was actually raised in a middle-class home in West-Montreal. Though through a set of unfortunate circumstances (his addiction to alcohol being his main demon) he ended up homeless on the streets of Toronto. In the end he rose through the ashes to found Second Cup with his partner Tom Culligan.

Stronach came to Canada by himself from Austria at the age 21 in 1954. Coming from a working class family, his parents, if I remember correctly, were machinists there and that's the trade he picked up. It was a struggle for him to get by in the early days, but he was extremely hard working and determined. It was with that determination he built an automotive parts manufacturing empire that employs thousands around the world today.

Donna Ivy Karan (nee Faske), came from well-to-do beginnings. She born in Queens, New York, but spent much of her formative years on Long Island. Her father, Gabby, made custom suits and her mother, Helen (a.k.a. Richie and Queenie), was a model and salesperson and a bit of a nutjob. Karan also had a sister named, Gail, who was eight years older.

In 1952, when Karan was three, her father died suddenly in a car accident. Afterwards her mother re-married a gentleman named Harold Flaxman. He owned a dress business in Brooklyn which sold less expensive knock-offs and "schmatta" (Yiddish: clothing, textiles; pejorative- Rags worn by a person, old tattered clothing). So when people ask her how she got into fashion she tells them, she was born into it.

Fashion was Karan's "destiny". Her first job was selling clothes at a trendy boutique; designing was second nature to her. In high school she loved and excelled in art.

After graduating high school, Karan, attended Parsons School of Design in New York City. That's where she gained her sense of direction and purpose. It's also where she met her lifelong friend and off and on collaborative partner Louis Dell'Olio. Of the more than 200 students in their class, they were the only ones who made the daily commute on the Long Island Rail Road.

Karan got her first hands on experience in the industry at Anne Klein when she had to intern there one summer to earn an extra class credit for Parsons. She loved it there and gained a lot of valuable experience. When summer was over Anne told her not to go back to school. "This is what you want to do, right?" she asked. "Well, then stay. You'll learn more here than you ever would at school."

Everything was falling into place.

There are a lot more adventures in the book from this point on. There was an engagement to her first steady boyfriend and soon-to-be husband, Mark Karan. Shortly after she broke it off because she met an older gentleman, her true soulmate and future second husband, artist Stephan Weiss. I know... it's complicated.

There's her meteoric rise along side Anne Klein in her company. Then upon Anne's death she was her successor. Karan had many years of success there only to be pushed aside when she wanted to pursue personal dreams. Though things actually turned out for the best in the end. Because the financial backers at Anne Klein totally had faith in her and offered to back her if she wanted to start her own company. She took them up on that and never looked back.

Donna Karan New York was born shortly after she was fired from Anne Klein. It was a hugely successful company which was based on her Seven Easy Pieces philosophy where a handful of interchangeable items work together to create an entire wardrobe that goes from day to evening, weekday to weekend, season to season.

DKNY came next. It was geared towards a younger crowd. Karan wanted to dress her now 15-year-old daughter, Gabby. Karan got her assistant from her Anne Klein days, Jane Chung, to be its lead designer. DKNY would be the pizza to Donna Karan Collection's caviar, equal but different. One is not better than the other. You need both. This line would represent Karan's other side, yet there would be no overlap with Donna Karan New York whatsoever.

Fast forward to the future and you'd have DKNY Jeans and DKNY Accessories. DKNY Hosiery, DKNY Shoe, DKNY Kids, DKNY Eyes, DKNY Men's, DKNY Underwear, DKNY Fragrances, DKNY Swim, DKNY Home, DKNY Infants and Toddlers, DKNY Men's Tailoring and even... get this... DKK9 for dogs. They did everything and had retail locations worldwide.

Karan says she's often asked what it takes to be successful. Her answer is, don't think about success. Do something you believe in, something that speaks to your needs, your lifestyle and your passions. The minute you focus on what you think will make money, you're sunk. Words to live by.